To generate revenue and get a racino off the ground, horsemen have proposed that Hawthorne seek investment partners or open a temporary casino, as Waukegan and Rockford casinos have done. Carey said he “very easily” could have put slots in at the track, but wanted to emphasize racing over the casino.

Carey proposed a new south suburban harness track in 2019 in Tinley Park, partnering with video gaming owner Rick Heidner. But a Chicago Tribune story questioned the funding source for the project, and Gov. J.B. Pritzker refused to sell state land for the site, causing the plan to fall through.

The Carey family has kept racing alive in Illinois after Churchill Downs Inc. closed Arlington International Racecourse. It has split the track’s season between harness and thoroughbred racing.

But standardbred horses, who pull two-wheeled sulkies, have been relegated to racing in fall and winter, while thoroughbreds get the prime dates in spring and summer. Thoroughbred racing also generates far more revenue than harness racing.

The Illinois Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, which depends on Hawthorne for its racing season, and which runs on $11 million the Careys have paid into purses, is officially staying out of the debate over Hawthorne’s veto.

“We’d love to see the harness guys have their own track, and we could run at our track,” thoroughbred association President Chris Block said. “But this doesn’t help us get a racino built at Hawthorne.”

But the harness horsemen said they need action now, though passing legislation in an election year is difficult.

“We don’t have anymore time to wait,” Davis said. “The time has run out.”

Casey Leonard, a top harness driver and trainer, said many trainers and breeders have left Illinois while purses have dwindled by 75% in the past 10 years. Meanwhile, states that have added racinos, such as Indiana, Ohio and Kentucky, are thriving.

“Who’d have thought we’d look back (a decade ago) as the good old days?” he said.

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